International Human Rights Commission Calls For Stringent ActionsAgainst Violators Of Fundamental Human Rights

The International Human Rights Commission has indicated interest to enter into a Progressive collaboration with the Delta State Government through the Ministry of Justice towards the effective implementation of the African Charter on Human and Peoples Right and Chapter four of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

The Delta State Coordinator of the International Right body, Barbara Odoh who led other members of the Commission on an advocacy visit to the State Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr. Peter Mrakpor on Monday called for stringent actions against those responsible in the violation of rights of persons including those perpetrating inhuman treatments and torture.

Barbara who presented the Commission’s oral report to the Attorney-General through the Legal Adviser of the body, Lewis Aitufe, on their findings after a tour of all the Prison facilities in the State including the juvenile remand home at Sapele, expressed worries at the high number of inmates in prison custody, stating that over 70% of inmates in correctional facilities across the State are awaiting trial inmates.

She lamented a situation where an 8 year old child was discovered to have been remanded at the juvenile detention centre located at Sapele for over two years and advocated for the review of the child’s right law that pegged 7 years as the minimum age for criminal responsibility.

While berating the Nigeria Police for not complying with the provision of the Administration of the Criminal Justice Law in obtaining statements from suspects, the Human Right organization called for speedy trial of inmates and expressed optimism that the Prison service will be up to its responsibility as a rehabilitation and reformation centre now that the nomenclature has changed to Nigerian Correctional Service.